Christ Church Daily Devotion May 16 2024

Jesus traveled from town to town, spreading the good news of the kingdom of God. He was accompanied by his twelve disciples and a group of women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases. These women supported Jesus and his disciples financially. Jesus told a parable about a farmer sowing seeds, emphasizing the importance of sowing on good soil to produce a fruitful crop. He used parables to teach important truths and help people understand the kingdom of God. Just as seeds can be hindered from growing, we must be intentional in quieting our minds and opening our ears to hear God's word. Welcome to Christ Church's Daily Devotion for May 16th, 2024. Today we will be reading from Luke chapter 8, verses 1 through 8. After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, and also some women, who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases. Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had come out, Joanna, the wife of Chusa, the manager of Herod's household, Susanna, and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means. While a large crowd was gathering, and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told them this parable. A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path. It was trampled on, and the birds ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still, other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop a hundred times more than was sown. When he said this, he called out, Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear. Jesus was the master storyteller, and he often taught in parables. Jesus used parables to explain the truth in a way that is hard to forget, once we understand it. His parables bring pictures to our minds, to help us understand the kingdom and realize how it relates in our own lives. A good farmer is mindful to spread his seed on good soil, or it will never take root and grow into a crop. Some of it can be trampled or eaten by birds. Some can fall on rocky soil or among thorns and then get choked out. Only the seed sown on good soil will produce a big crop. The same is true of the Word of God. God spread his Word generously, even in unlikely places. Just as some seed never brings a crop, so also God's Word sometimes spares no fruit. Sometimes it is possible to attend worship services, but not really hear the Word of God saying things to us. Our minds might be elsewhere, perhaps because we think we've heard it all before, or because we have the next event on our minds. We must be intentional to quiet our minds and have our ears open for God's Word and direction. Your personal worship option today, Holy Spirit, please remove obstacles that can so easily keep us from hearing what you are saying to us. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.